Myo-Inositol Moderates Glucose-Induced Effects on Human Placental 13 C-Arachidonic Acid Metabolism.

Maternal hyperglycemia is associated with disrupted transplacental arachidonic acid (AA) supply and eicosanoid synthesis, which contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Since placental inositol is lowered with increasing glycemia, and since myo-inositol appears a promising intervention for gestational diabetes, we hypothesized that myo-inositol might rectify glucose-induced perturbations in placental AA metabolism. Term placental explants ( n = 19) from women who underwent a mid-gestation oral glucose-tolerance-test were cultured with 13 C-AA for 48 h in media containing glucose (5, 10 or 17 mM) and myo-inositol (0.3 or 60 µM). Newly synthesized 13 C-AA-lipids were quantified by liquid-chromatography-mass-spectrometry. Increasing maternal fasting glycemia was associated with decreased proportions of 13 C-AA-phosphatidyl-ethanolamines (PE, PE-P), but increased proportions of 13 C-AA-triacylglycerides (TGs) relative to total placental 13 C-AA lipids. This suggests altered placental AA compartmentalization towards storage and away from pools utilized for eicosanoid production and fetal AA supply. Compared to controls (5 mM glucose), 10 mM glucose treatment decreased the amount of four 13 C-AA-phospholipids and eleven 13 C-AA-TGs, whilst 17 mM glucose increased 13 C-AA-PC-40:8 and 13 C-AA-LPC. Glucose-induced alterations in all 13 C-AA lipids (except PE-P-38:4) were attenuated by concurrent 60 µM myo-inositol treatment. Myo-inositol therefore rectifies some glucose-induced effects, but further studies are required to determine if maternal myo-inositol supplementation could reduce AA-associated pregnancy complications.